Stefano Vecchia

After the vote in the House, the Senate will rule only in June, after the midterm elections. Several representatives from the Duterte family’s stronghold of Mindanao voted in favour of impeaching Duterte, a sign of her waning political influence.

A study by IPS and OnePeople titled Indicators of Racial and Religious Harmony indicates that racial and religious stereotypes are growing as people become more conscious and honest about diversity. A quarter of the population does not fully trust fellow citizens from other religious or ethnic backgrounds, down from 42 per cent in 2013.

Yesterday the former Thai prime minister made his first official outing as coordinator of a group of informal advisers to the head of the Malaysian government who is this year’s ASEAN rotating chairman. The former foreign minister of Singapore was also present. The Thai billionaire's knowledge of Myanmar’s situation and his business acumen underlie his role, but there is no shortage of critical voices.

Opposition to economic development is growing. Population growth, pollution and land reclamations are the critical factors. Poor legislative protection also threatens the body of water. Foreign lawmakers and activists are joining the battle.

Low temperatures and fog have caused a pollution emergency in Thailand, especially in Bangkok. The situation is bad in 64 out of the country’s 76 provinces. In 2024, one million people sought medical attention due to air pollution, at a cost of US$ 90 million. People are urged not to burn replica money as a lucky charm for Lunar New Year.

A group of unidentified men close to the formally disbanded Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) attacked a military convoy that was escorting UN officials, killing two and wounding 12. The path towards the parliamentary election in the autonomous region on Mindanao is getting steeper, as the election set for May might be postponed to August.

To make cash, the Ministry of Economy is preparing a feasibility study. Paetongtarn Shinawatra talks about “bringing out of the shadows” an activity that would already involve between two and four million Thais. Criticism over moral aspects in a country where Buddhist faith condemns gaming and possible social consequences.

The government imposed a P58-a-kilo maximum suggested retail price for higher quality outsourced rice, but for some stakeholders this is insufficient. In the fourth quarter of 2024, hunger reached levels not seen since 2020, involving about Philippine household one in four.

The Uyghurs were detained after arriving in Thailand ten years ago on their way to Turkey. They were reportedly forced to sign voluntary deportation papers, ahead of repatriation to China where their co-ethnics suffer harsh repression in Xinjiang. Thailand is not a party to the UN Convention on Refugees.

Pardoned by Cambodia’s king, the women were caught up in a racket that put the spotlight back on human trafficking. Three children already born will be given up for adoption in the Philippines if the mothers are unable to care for them.

Demand is growing in Europe, especially in the health and long-term care sectors. Migrants’ contribution to the Philippine economy is critical, but they need legal protection and support, as well as repatriation plans in case of need. In 2023, remittances hit a record US$ 37.2 billion, or 8.5 per cent of GDP, the largest amounts coming from the United States, Singapore and Saudi Arabia.

South Korea has introduced a voluntary repatriation programme for illegal migrants that would avoid expulsion and include a waiver on heavy fines. At the end of 2023, some 423,675 foreigners were staying illegally in the East Asian country out of more than 2.5 million. About 145,000 Thais, who are more than a third of all foreigners staying illegally, could benefit from the measure.